Fatal delays in rescue operations for an 85-year-old: two Naples local health authorities ordered to pay massive compensation.

A medical ordeal claimed the life of an 85-year-old patient. The Torre Annunziata Court ordered the ASL Napoli 3 Sud and the ASL Napoli 1 Centro to pay a total of €800 in compensation to the family of the elderly man, who died in August 2021 from a severe subdural hematoma.

The judges recognized the full civil liability of the two healthcare companies, highlighting crucial critical issues in the management of the emergency response process.

The ordeal and the incompatible times

According to the court's findings, the elderly man initially arrived at Sorrento Hospital. There, he experienced an initial, serious delay of over two hours while awaiting transfer to a facility with a neurosurgery department.

Furthermore, the transport to Naples took place aboard a non-resuscitation ambulance, with travel times deemed by the experts to be completely incompatible with the extremely critical nature of the clinical picture.

The tragedy escalated upon arrival at the Ospedale del Mare. Once at the Neapolitan hospital, the patient was forced to wait approximately six hours before being admitted to the operating room.

The sentence and the profiles of responsibility

The technical opinions ordered during the proceedings confirmed that timely medical treatment would have significantly increased the 85-year-old's chances of survival, potentially avoiding the tragic outcome.

Having established the causal link between the organizational malfunctions and the death, the Oplonti Court established the exact share of liability. The compensation will be paid 80% by the ASL Napoli 1 Centro and the remaining 20% ​​by the ASL Napoli 3 Sud.

The lawyers' accusation

Advising the family in this legal battle were lawyers Michele Francesco Sorrentino, Pierlorenzo Catalano, and Filippo Castaldo of the Maior Associati firm, with the technical support of medical examiner Marcello Lorello. They reiterated the vital importance of emergency protocols.

"This ruling once again confirms how, in times of health emergencies, timely intervention can mean the difference between life and death," the lawyers emphasized in a statement. "We will continue to guarantee protection to families who have suffered serious consequences due to errors or omissions in the health care sector, ensuring their right to justice and adequate compensation is recognized."